1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to communications networks and, more particularly, to networks and methods for providing calling services with automatic speech recognition capability.
2. Description of the Background
Automatic recall service, also known as call return or *69, is a popular calling service offered by many telecommunications service providers. Automatic recall service typically allows a customer to dial a special feature code to receive an enunciation of the telephone number, and perhaps name, of the last incoming caller. The customer is then typically audibly presented the option of calling back the directory number associated with the last incoming call by dialing another special code. Thus, a customer may use the automatic recall service to screen his or her calls, or when the customer is unable to answer a call before the calling party hangs up. The automatic recall service may also be used when a customer does not know the directory number of that caller, but wants to call back the last incoming caller.
According to another popular call screening-type service, typically referred to as the “calling name service,” a called party may be presented with the name and/or directory number of a calling party visually, such as with a display unit including an LCD display, or audibly, by voicing the pertinent information to the called party over the telephone interface. The called party may then route the incoming call as desired by dialing certain codes. For example, the called party may dial one code to accept the incoming call, another code to reject the call, and yet a third code to, for example, route the call to a voice-mail messaging system.
According to either of these exemplary enhanced calling features, however, the customer is required to dial a code to realize certain benefits of the service. For instance, according to the call return feature, the called party is required to dial a code to call back the directory number associated with the last incoming call. Similarly, for the calling name party, the called party is required to dial a code to route the incoming call as desired.
Mandating that customers dial certain codes to realize the benefits of calling services to which they subscribe is not ideal for certain applications. For example, wireless telephone users may be unable to dial codes on their wireless telephones because their hands may be occupied with other tasks, such as driving. Similarly, the hands of personal computer (PC) users may be occupied with tasks such as typing, which do not facilitate the manual dialing of codes on a telephone.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a manner in which telecommunications customers may realize the benefits of enhanced calling features and services without the manual dialing of codes.